Paper mache homeless man highlights plight of homeless

THIS week is Homeless Person's Week and it aims to raise important awareness about the issue of homelessness in Australia.

According to St Vincent de Paul Society NSW 6% of homeless people are sleeping it rough, with 74% of people staying temporarily with other households or living in overcrowded dwellings like caravans, boarding houses or other temporary accommodation.

One artist in Murwillumbah trying to bring homelessness to the attention of people had a life size person made from newspapers sleeping in a doorway in the main street.

The homleess artwork in a door way at Murwillumbah Photo: John Gass / Daily NewsJohn Gass

Accompanying the life size person was a thought provoking note that came with its own sign for help.

I've out stayed my welcome at all my friend's places. I had nowhere else to go.

He lay with an apple and a 'small thoughts and comments' box to get people thinking and to get involved.

And it seem to grab the attention of every person that walked by.

"It makes you stop and think," Tomewin resident Meradith Callan who stoped to have a look after work and said.

"Persons Week is an opportunity for Australians to reflect upon the changing face of homelessness and understand how quickly people can fall into the cycle of homelessness and disadvantage," said Michael Perusco, St Vincent de Paul Society NSW CEO .

"It is shocking that in Australia today there are more than 105,000 people experiencing homelessness.

"This figure demonstrates there is a lot of work to address homelessness and that far too many Australians are being pushed to the margins of society."